For the first time all season, the Diamond Dawgs won an SEC series by beating the Tennessee Volunteers 8-7 on Friday night. However, some may think that the win warrants an asterisk because games two and three were canceled due to inclement weather. Then again, a series win is just that, a series win, and this may be a start for greater things to come.
On Friday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, the Diamond Dawgs started off hot by scoring four runs in the first three innings. In the top of the second inning, senior shortstop Kyle Farmer plated Nelson Ward with his 11th sacrifice fly of the season, an NCAA best.
Redshirt-junior Patrick Boling relieved senior Bryan Benzor in the bottom of the fourth frame and pitched good enough for the win, going five innings, fanning three while giving up four.
Georgia might have thought they had the game in the bag because Tennessee caught the Dawgs off guard in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Vols scored four runs and were one run away from sending the game in to extra innings but the gang from Rocky Top got a little too big for their britches. Freshman Will Maddox attempted to steal home in order to tie the game but sophomore Jarrett Brown, who relieved Boling after three faced batter in the ninth, was not fooled. Brown threw home to Brett Deloach where the senior catcher cut him off, threw to senior third baseman Curt Powell. The two caught Maddox in a pickle and Powell tagged Maddox to end the game. Brown earned his second save of the season.
“The team did a great job on the road and found a way to win,” said Georgia coach David Perno. “They were prepared for that situation on the steal attempt of home. It’s one thing to tell them stuff like that, we told them they are frisky on the bases, and it’s another for them to execute it when it happens. We know Tennessee is fearless on the bases regardless of the score or situation. I really liked how we hung in there against their best pitcher, he’s been really good all year, three straight complete games, a 2.88 ERA, and we got eight runs and 14 hits off him in six innings. Also, our Lee County connection came through with two big home runs.”
Up next, the Diamond Dawgs will travel to Charleston to take on the College of Charleston at 6:00pm on Wednesday. Look for the Dawgs to build on their first SEC series win.
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